Interlocking electrical coupler



- April 23, 1940. H. R. c. ANTHONY 1 7 0 INTERLOCKING ELECTRICAL COUFLEE Filed Dec. 11, 1957 Patented Apr. "23, 1940 PATIENT OFFICE 2.197.180 INTERLOCKING ELECTRICAL oourrlna Herman R. 0. Anthony, Madison, Wis., assignor to Ray.-'0'-Vac Company, a corporation of Wisconsin ApplicationDecember 11, 1937, Serial No. 179,372 1 3 claims.

This invention relates to interlocking couplers, and more particularly to a coupler for making a plurality of electrical contacts simultaneously as between a radiocable-and battery.

The primary object of the invention is to provide an improved coupling for use in radios, and the like, wherein a single cable connection toa battery will. take care of the A".,' B", and C circuits and the connection will be locked so as not to be disengaged by vibration or roughusage.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved socket portion oi. the coupler which may be permanently mounted on the battery and is adapted to receive the improved interlocking plug but may be used in connection with the common type of .plugs heretofore used.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved prong in the plug member which performs a threefold purpose of a contactor. a latch,and a switch. In cables of this kind there is generally one lead known as common and .untilthe connection is closed with the common wire, all the other electri'calcircuits of thebattery are open. Thus there is no danger of short circuiting the battery while making the proper connection, and after all the rigid prongs of the plugfmember are thrust intov their proper position', the latch member is snapped into position and servesas a switch closing the various circuits.

Another object of the inventionis to provide electrical line contact between thelatch and the laterally extending portion of the contact in the socket member.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying, drawing, in

which:

- Figure 1 is an elevational view, of an interlocking coupler; Fig. 2 .is a vertical sectional view, taken as indicated at line 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same; Fig. 4, a sec tional view through the plug member, taken as indicated at line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5, a perspect-ive view of one .of the metallic contact'mem bersj; Fig. 6, a broken sectional view of the electrical connection with the-latch member, taken as indicated at line 6 of Fig. 2; Fig. 7, a vertical sectional view showing a modified form of coupler, taken as indicated at line 'Il of Fig. '8; and Fig. 8, aplan view of the device ,shown in Fig. '7. v v

- In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1-6, A

' designates a plug member; B, -a socket member;

and C, a latching device.

The plug A isshown with a molded insulating .base 8 provided with a paper cap l and enclosed by a metal shell I I provided at its upper end with a rubber ring l2 through which a cable may be inserted. A plurality of hollow contact prongs l3 are fixedly moimted on the base 19 and are adapted to receive wires from a cable (not shown) and have the wires soldered therein.

The socket portion of the coupler B is shown with an insulating base or disc I! which is perforated to receive the prongs l3. A number of 10 metallic spring contacts are secured to the panel by means of upwardly extending teeth IS. The contact members have socket portions ll adapted to receivethe prongs l3 and make good electrical contact therewith. One of the contact 15 members l8, see Fig. 5,. is provided with a laterally extending contact portion l9 whose edge portions are turned downwardly to provide an inverted U. This lateral contact portion extends towards a special latching'aperture 2| in the 20 panel l4. The U-shaped arrangement is to provide improved electricalline contact with the latching member, as will beexplained below.

, The latching device C, as explained above, performs a three fold function of acting as a switch, a contactor, and a latch. It shown in the form of a U-shaped spring 22 having one end secured to the insulating base 9 by means of a rivet 23 which is hollow to make a soldered connection with a. lead-in wire from the cable, not

nection and a tight joint between the plug and 40 socket members. The lower end of the 'leg 24 is biased, as indicated at 21, and serves to guide the latch into the socket 2| when the members are brought together. A finger operable plunger '28 is provided on the leg 24 of the latching device and extends laterally through a perforation in the shell ll. Thus it will be understood that all of the circuits may be opened and the coupler unlatched for disconnection by .merely depress-' ing the plunger 28.

It will be noted that the prong members are shown having different diameters and are arranged in a pattern conforming with that of the apertures in the socket member so that the. mem-- bers can only be brought together in one circum 55 ferential position. As the circuit is finally completed by the latching device, there is no danger of a short circuit during the matching up of the two members. v a

The modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is quite similar but the latching device does not operate as a contactor or switch. The socket member has an insulating disc 30 on which is mounted metallic contact members 3| of the same type described above. The plate or disc 30 may be formed integral with a dry cell, for example The plug member has an insulating disc :or base 32 on which is mounted prongs 33 which are adapted to extend through apertures in the disc 30 and make electrical connection with the contact members 3!. The top of the plate 32 is provided with conventional spring terminal posts 34 which are secured in position by riveting the upper shank portions 35 of the prongs 33. The latch 36 has one end secured to the plate 32 by one of the shanks 35 and has a notched resilient arm 31 which is adapted to be projected through a perforation in the plate 30 and hold the members together. The upper end of the arm 31 forms a handle portion 38 which may be pressed laterally to unlock the parts.

The locking couplers illustrated are of sumcient strength that a heavy battery may be carried around by the lead-in cable relying on the latch to hold the coupler parts together. The socket portion of the coupler may be permanently connected to the battery and discarded with the battery when the battery is worn out, as its cost is comparatively low. When'the batteries run down, it is only necessary to release the latch and plugin a new battery without fear of short circuits or any other improper connection.

The ioregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

I claim:

1. In apparatus of the character set forth, an interlocking coupler for a plurality of electrical contacts, comprising: a socket member having a disc of insulating material provided with apertures, metal contact members mounted on said disc beneath said apertures to make electrical contact with the prongs of a plug member inserted through said apertures; and a plug member having a base of insulating material, at least three metallic prongs mounted on said base in a pattern to enable them to enter the apertures in the socket member, one of said prongs being laterally movable with respect to the other prongs and having a contacting elbow portion which is adapted to lock the plug and socket members together, the aperture for said laterally movable prong having means ior preventing its underlying contact from engaging said prong until the other prongs have been inserted suiliciently to close their corresponding electrical circuits.

2. In apparatus of the character set forth, an interlocking coupler for a plurality of electrical contacts, comprising: a socket member having a disc of insulating material provided with prong apertures and a special latch aperture, metal contact members mounted on said disc beneath said apertures to make electrical contact with the prongs of a plug member inserted through said apertures, one of said metal contact members having a-lateral contact portion beneath the disc extending towards said special latch aperture; and a plug member having a base of insulating material, a plurality of rigid metal prongs mounted on said base in a pattern to enable them to enter the apertures in the socket member, and a combined electrical contact and laterally movable latch member adapted to extend deeply into said special aperture to make a locking electrical connection with said lateral contact portion,- said special aperture and lateral contact in the socket member being disposed so that electrical con? tact with the latch can only be made after electrical connections have been established between the other contact members and the corresponding prongs.

3. A device as specified in claim 2, in which the lateral contacting portions of both the latch member and the companion lateral socket contact member are U-shaped in vertical cross-section so as to insure electrical line contact between the members when they are in latched position.

HERMAN R. C. ANTHONY. 

